Single visit root canal treatment: a prospective study

The aim was to determine the success rate of single visit root canal treatment (RCT) and thus encourage clinicians to offer this treatment option appropriately.

This was a longitudinal clinical study involving all teeth of the secondary dentition except third molars in the upper and lower jaws. Teeth having irreversible pulpitis, pulp necrosis or periapical periodontitis were included in the study. RCT and obturation was done at a single visit. The patients were monitored over 6 months.

Forty-five teeth were treated in 21 females and 24 males, aged 18-56 years (34.4+/-12.7). Preoperatively, pain was present in 84.4%, tenderness to percussion in 53.3%, and periapical radiolucency in 24.4% teeth. Forty percent had irreversible pulpitis and 60% had apical periodontitis. Post-operatively, pain reduced to 51.1% on day 1, 15.5% at 1 week, and 0% for the rest of the period. Tenderness to percussion reduced to 15.6% at 1 week and 0% by 1 month. Periapical radiolucency reduced to 9.5% at 6 months. Favorable outcome of 33.3% was recorded on day 1 and increased to 90.5% at 6 months. Six months success rate for teeth which had irreversible pulpitis was 100% and 83.3% for apical periodontitis. The mean time needed to complete a single visit RCT ranged from 77 min for a tooth having one canal to 132 min for one having four canals.

Single visit RCT is a viable treatment option for teeth having irreversible pulpitis or apical periodontitis irrespective of tooth type or number of canals.

A lot of patients are lost to follow-up visits for teeth requiring RCT once the pulp is extirpated at the first visit due to cessation of pain, subsequently leading to treatment failure. Single visit endodontics eliminates the need for follow-up visits and improves treatment prognosis.